World Finals at Bonneville, please school me

Been wanting to go to Bonneville for a long time. For my birthday in August, my wife and son said they'd pay for a trip(ain't that just cool as hell). SO, I've missed Speed Week, but there are the World Finals coming up in October. How do they differ? SCTA site says smaller crowd, better weather and more racing. If so, why does Speed Week get more coverage? BTW, thanks to all the Hambers who posted such great pictures and stories about this years event.

 

I went for the first time last month. For an individual interested in machinery and speed, it's the one thing you need to witness.

As far as differences, I've heard similar things (crowd, weather, etc.) Hotels may possibly be less expensive as well.

Speed Week is probably just bigger. I think there were roughly 500 entries in August. That's a lot of people. I met people from England, Australia, Sweden, and Germany. Everyone has one thing on their mind, going as fast as they can.

Maybe you could go in August. That way you can plan and not rush it.

 

SCTA is not the only event organizer. Google USFRA and checkout World of Speed. Racing starts next week on Wednesday. Four days of racing, easy to get rooms, cooler temperatures, no long lines for food, many of the same cars, and some classes for street stock cars as well. Good way to spend a week, I hope to see you there.

 

Quite a few of the last few events have been rained out. there was an identicle thread to yours here a couple weeks back.

 

I also visited Bonneville for the first time last month and it was a blast.

 

There's a couple of ways you can do it.

1. Wait for next Speed Week. It's the biggest with the most machines to look at and the most rat rods to oogle at the hotels in the evenings. The weather is likely to be the best.

2. Go to The World Finals or the USFRA event. Less cars but less trouble getting a hotel room. A MUCH greater chance of a rainout.

There are two ways you can go:
A) Drive. And it's a long one.
B) Fly to Salt Lake City. Rent a car and drive the 1.5 hours to Wendover. Spray the underside of your rental car liberally with about 3 cans of PAM (not kidding here). This keeps the salt from sticking as bad as it might. Using Gaff tape, line the carpeting of the car with a drop cloth. Don't use Duct Tape as when you peel off and leave glue behind. After you leave the salt, go to a car wash and spend $10 in quarters hosing off the bottom of the car before you drop it off.

Whether you take your own car or rent one, if you are good on a bicycle, buy one at Walmart in SLC for $65, ride it around the salt instead of taking your car out there (park at the end of the road) and when you finish your trip drop it off at the Wendover Fire Station for their Toys For Tots program (I've actually done this and they are HAPPY to take it).

Take some powerful binoculars, a lawn chair, a big hat, SPF-50 sun block, and SPF-20 lip balm.

 

Ive always wondered the same thing. Had a local here that's been going for years tell me that speed Week is for the "posers" (his words) and World of Speed was for the real racers. But he didn't say any more.

 

With approx. 200 new records set at Speedweek I would hardly classify that as a "posers" event. Over 3100 runs indicates that a lot of butts were out of the lawn chairs and on the race track.

DW

 

So what is the differece between the two? Are they run by the same people or are they two completely different animals?

 

18n57......there will be 3 of us at Watertown this weekend that are planing on going to World Finals. The part that sucks, it's the same dates as the Pile-Up.

 

Yeah, plus for me, the Pile-up is only 60 miles from where my kid lives. See ya this weekend.

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=393390&highlight=world+finals&showall=1

 

Tom, you guys passing through here?

 

Don't think so.........Eyeball has a stop he wants to make in MT.
What you got in mind??

 

world of speed seems like a lot of screwing around to me. you got your 130 mph club b.s. and the world's fastest vw's and bar stools on wheels and... none of that crap going on at an scta event.

imo speed week is the true essence of bonneville.

 

You don't really see that stuff unless you look for it. There's plenty of "regular" racing at World of Speed. Wayno

 

Not a thing, just be nice to see yoose all again.

 

That is the truth. after hitting Speed Week I need to get a more powerfull pair.

 

Log onto landracing.com while you're at it.

 

Each year (weather permitting), the SCTA holds two events @ the Bonneville Salt Flats: Speed
Week [aka the Bonneville National Speed Trials] (7 days in August) & the World Finals (4 days
in October) ... click HERE for their website.
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As already mentioned, the USFRA holds the World Of Speed (4 days in September) event @ the Bonneville Salt Flats ... click HERE for their website.
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The 2-wheel guys hold their own event @ Bonneville ... the BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials is
typically 5 days in late August or early September ... click HERE for the event website.
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Quite often the heavy hitters hold their own "private" (by invitation only, but open to spectators) events on the B'ville Salt Flats ... one such event is the Top 1 Oil Land Speed Shootout which
is scheduled to be held this year on September 20<SUP>th</SUP> thru the 26<SUP>th</SUP>.

 

Your cell number still the same?? If we come through that way and have the time will give you a call.

 

tom do you still have that cool A roadster? wish i could have came out this year.

-danny

 

I'll PM it just to be safe

 

Thanks everyone, for the info and links. Looks like the Finals would be a great experience, still haven't decided. Finals or Pile-up?

 

Hi Danny, Yes the A and the T mod,( going to make a RPU out of the mod that way we can haul our stuff out to the salt ) but will be using a rental for this trip. Never been to the World Finals before, will see how they differ from Speed Week.
I see you have your truck going. I'd like to see that in person. I'm sure it has your usual expert workmanship!!

Got it Trent. Thanks.

 

Check with us this weekend, we might have room for one more.

 

I like World of Speed the best .Its next week .Not as big as speedweek
more lo key .Weather not as hot .Not as much Media Hype .You can actually
watch the racing and eat dinner in town without having to wade through people
to do it .Might see ya there ! USFRA great folks.

 

USFRA is awsome. Great people! Freudiger & Cline will be racing the number 50 car.

 

My husband Bob is at World of Finals right now. The weather is cool and crisp. The salt is the best it has been in 25 years according to 'those' in the know. There are only 100 cars and 45 bikes there this year. The weather was iffy at best in the two weeks prior to the event. Bob was on-again off-again about 3 times each. He left Wed October 7th and drove 15 hours from Olympia to Bonneville. They are only running one track because the weather was bad and the track was originally wet and then they ran out of time maybe. It has been very long lines and the wait time about 3 hours before you can run again. But again the track is PERFECT. Several cars have set way higher records than Speed Week. One guy even beat his own time by 20 miles. If you have SALT FEVER, anytime is great to go.

 

I drove to Bonneville last august from Wisconsin in a 32 Ford coupe. We stopped in North Platte Nebraska the first night on the way out there. We spent some time in the outdoor pool and had a few brews. This morning the Weather channel reported that North Platte had 15 inches of snow last night. Thats a pretty big difference wouldn't you say.